Truth Social to Sell Institutional Investors Early Access to Trump Posts

"Trump posts delivered 0.001 seconds earlier"

Paid service to launch for institutional investors

Conflict-of-interest concerns grow over monetizing policy remarks

A paid service giving institutional investors access to Donald Trump’s Truth Social posts ahead of ordinary users is set to launch, raising new conflict-of-interest concerns over profiting from remarks that can move financial markets. Trump’s posts on major policy and foreign affairs issues have often had an immediate impact on markets.

Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates Truth Social, said in a press release on July 16 that it will launch its business-to-business service, Truth API, on Aug. 1. The service will deliver posts from major Truth Social accounts milliseconds ahead of general users. The data will be provided in a format machines can automatically read and analyze, without requiring users to view the posts directly.

The service will likely be used mainly by investment firms that rely on algorithmic trading. They would receive the data feed just before posts appear on users’ screens and react to market swings. TMTG said it has already signed contracts with some clients.

“The market is already moving based on Truth Social posts,” interim TMTG Chief Executive Officer Devin Nunes said. He added that Truth API will provide, under an official license and in real time, the posts with the greatest market impact on the platform.

Trump often discloses his stance on major policy and international issues on Truth Social before any formal White House announcement. During the recent Iran war tensions, a series of related posts rattled oil prices and stock markets, and investors tracked his account in real time. Among South Korean investors worn down by the extreme volatility, some complained that the platform had become “Trump’s private trading signal chat room.”

The most-followed account on Truth Social is Trump’s, with 12.9 million followers. It is followed by Donald Trump Jr. with 7.4 million, Vice President JD Vance with 3.5 million, Eric Trump with 3.3 million and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel with 1.9 million. The controversy has intensified because Trump holds about 41% of TMTG through a revocable trust. That has raised concerns that the president’s policy comments could be directly tied to company profit.

Agence France-Presse said selling high-speed access to Truth Social raises questions about using the presidency for private gain. The Wall Street Journal called it another example of the Trump family blending corporate interests with White House business.

Hong Min-seong, Hankyung.com reporter mshong@hankyung.com